Sydney Twichell LLC

I am a complete and total nerd. I know I know, a weird way to start an article, but I have a point I promise! I LOVE comic books, sci-fi stories, any hero story that inspires is my jam. All of my favorite heroes have a well known origin story. 

Superman – Came from Krypton as a baby with god-like powers. 

Spiderman – Bitten by a radioactive spider, giving him the abilities of a spider. 

Princess Leia – A lost daughter of the most powerful Jedi and most influential senator before the rise of the Empire. 

These are badass heroes, with stories that inspire us to be better people and use our talents to make the world a better place. A compelling leader has an inspiring origin story, and when they share that story they can gain respect and credibility in their field. 

Sharing the why behind what you do is a key aspect of PR, and it could get you more visibility than you think. Take Joy Mangano, for example. Joy invented the self-wringing mop and struggled endlessly to make the product a successful one. She fought her family, greedy business men, and eventually ended up on top. I know this because her story was so inspiring, they made a movie about it! This movie not only introduced us to her, it made us fall in love with her. The film further established her as an expert in her field, and that is what we should focus on with you.

Now I’m not saying tell your story so you can get a movie deal, although that would be pretty cool. Instead, I’m encouraging you to tell your story because you never know who needs to hear it. When we share more than just our name, title, and products/services, our audience has something more to grab onto when following you as a leader. It creates a loyal audience, one that can help you get guest spots on TV, podcasts, conferences, and even TedTalks. 

So what is the best method to tell your origin story? First, create a strong “About Me” page on your website. This will be a good introduction to your backstory, and gives you a foundation to build off of for other content. Next, try your hand at long form content such as blog posts on your website or third party sites like Medium. This will give you more freedom to go into detail with your backstory, and give more context as to why you are the way you are. 

TikToks and Reels are a great way to do brief story times. Try to focus on one specific story that is relevant to your business or personal brand. You can also do this through Instagram carousel posts. A great example is a carousel post I made a few months ago where I shared that I used to own a small soap making business as a preteen, and what it taught me for my journey now as a business owner. 

Highlight the why behind your business. The why will help audiences understand your business mission, and compel them to support you because they now understand your goals. If you haven’t quite figured out the “why” behind what you do, now is a good time to start piecing that together. 

Your origin story can inspire, connect, and promote. You just need to be brave enough to share your story, and what makes you different from the rest.